NCEI added Alaska climate divisions to its nClimDiv dataset on Friday, March 6, 2015, coincident with the release of the February 2015 monthly monitoring report. For more information on this data, please visit the Alaska Climate Divisions FAQ.

According to data from the Storm Prediction Center, during March, there were 25 preliminary tornado reports. This is below the 1991-2010 average number of tornadoes of 80 for the month. The past two Marches (2013 and 2014) have had much below average tornado activity, with 18 tornadoes confirmed during March 2013. March typically marks the begining of increased seasonal tornado activity, with the number of tornadoes peaking in late spring and early summer. The March 2014 tornado count brings the year-to-date preliminary number of tornadoes to 70; the 1991-2010 average is 144. Most of the tornadoes reported during March were weak, with three EF-2s and the rest rated EF-1 or EF-0. There were no reported fatalities, and only minor injuries and property damage.

Despite the slow tornado month, there were several noteworthy events. Nine of the reported tornadoes were in Northern California on March 25th and 26th, and were rated EF-0 and EF-1. On average, California receives two tornadoes each March. The most tornadoes on record to impact California during March was four in 1991, and depending on the final confirmation rate, March 2014 could set a new monthly record. On March 31st a tornado was observed near St. Leo, Minnesota. In the 1950-present record, only a total of 20 tornadoes have occurred during March in Minnesota, with the last March tornado to impact the state occurring in 2012.

Citing This Report

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, State of the Climate: Tornadoes for March 2014, published online April 2014, retrieved on December 9, 2016 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/tornadoes/201403.